Most employers in the country are requiring that you pass a criminal check before being hired. The same holds true for volunteers applying for a volunteer position. Because of a new law implemented July 2010, there has been significant delays in processing the RCMP files for criminal backgrounds.

These delays are a result of a new law passed in July 2010 that requires all individuals who have the same birth date and name as a convicted sex offender to be scrutinized for employment and volunteer positions no matter whether they have had a criminal past or not.

The RCMP is now severely backed up with criminal background check requests and cannot process them within a reasonable time frame.

This is also affecting those individuals with absolute or conditional discharges as well as criminal charges that have been withdrawn, dismissed, stayed, or diversion as employers can STILL see that they have been in trouble with the police (ie fingerprinted) and require further information from the RCMP.

For those applying for Pardons and US Entry Waivers, this has also caused a delay as it is taking longer to receive the RCMP file which is one of the crucial steps in obtaining a Canada Pardon or US Entry Waiver (I-194, I-192).

Below is a good article for the Londoner entitled “New RCMP Rule Bottlenecking Volunteers”, but to be sure, its not only bottlenecking volunteers but also Canada Pardon applications and US Entry Waivers:

Author: Pardons Canada

Pardons Canada is a national non-profit organization which assists individuals in removing a past criminal offence from public record. We undertakes all necessary steps and procedures for removing your criminal record, including: Pardons/Record Suspensions, Purges, Photograph & Fingerprint Destruction, and U.S. Entry Waivers.